The present invention relates to packaging, and more particularly, it relates to the packaging of a plurality of separate food servings, and to a carton which can advantageously support and protect the food servings in a fresh and convenient fashion.
In the art of food packaging, it has become customary to supply certain products to the ultimate consumer in individual servings both to increase sales and for the convenience of the consumer. The individual servings are preferably provided in their own separate packages to preserve the freshness of the unopened servings. This method of distributing food products provides advantages to both the consumer and the retailer. It provides the consumer with a number of individual packaged servings which need not be opened until they are needed, and it enables the retailer to more efficiently distribute his products.
Numerous types of cartons have been developed for providing individual servings of various packaged products, but there is presently no carton available for effectively and efficiently packaging baked goods substantially as disclosed herein. Baked goods should be packaged in such a manner that they are well ventilated and separated from one another, and, so that they have minimum product contact with their enclosed carton. Proper ventilation is required to provide product freshness while product separation is desired to prohibit the fusing together and attendant spoilage of adjacent products. Meanwhile, proper ventilation and minimum product contact with the enclosed carton also prevents "doughing" of the product, or the wetting and deterioration of the product where the product touches the carton. The latter problem can occur even where the individual products are separately packaged so that the products only come into indirect contact with the enclosed carton. In some cases, "doughing" of baked goods and enhanced protection of the goods from exterior crushing forces has been achieved with the use of interior cradles or separate jackets of paper or the like which are glued or otherwise adhered to the walls of the outer carton. The following list of U.S. patents is believed to be exemplary of typical cartons for packaging individual food servings, but it will be seen that none of the patents disclose a carton substantially as disclosed herein:
U.s. pat. No. 1,227,250 PA2 U.s. pat. No. 2,013,606 PA2 U.s. pat. No. 3,261,461